Holiday Review 2016 by American Classifieds

Table of

Contents Ugly Christmas Sweater

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Christmas Candle Push Pops

7-8

Top 10 Survival Tips for

Articles...

Holiday Travel

Fun Coloring for Kids

How to Make a

Countdown Clock

Fun Coloring &

Maze for Kids

25 Days of Christmas

Holiday Cocktail Ideas

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Ugly Christmas Sweater The ugly Christmas sweater has become a ubiquitous feature of the holiday season, on par with grumbling about Black Friday or wrestling with the Christmas lights. These tacky garments are now being re-appropriated from their perpetual spot in the wardrobe of great-aunt Edna or your third grade social studies teacher. Telltale signs of the ugly sweater are liberal use of red and green, comically large depictions of snowmen, reindeer, and Christmas trees, and any sort of pom-pom or felt applique. Though the sweater as a garment has existed in the U.S. since the late 19th century, hideous holiday versions only began to sprout up in the last several decades. Bill Cosby was a modern-day pioneer of the trend and is revered as an ugly sweater icon. As Cliff Huxtable on his eponymous ‘80s sitcom, the family man’s uniform of choice was a wooly pullover with questionable color mixing and patterns. Thanks to Cosby, as well as Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, these sweaters experienced a resurgence until their popularity faded as the ‘90s began. But in the past decade, the trend has picked up steam once more. According to the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On, there was a noticeable uptick in ugly sweater parties around 2001, and the tradition snowballed from there. Now the tops are bigger than ever, but in a very hipstery, oh-so-ironic way. Vintage stores, the Salvation Army, and Goodwill are reaping the benefits of this craze, but the trend has reached as far as fast-fashion shops like H&M and high-

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end retailers such as Nordstrom. Those who unwittingly started the trend are now back in on the action, as people of all ages are feeling the ugly-sweater fever. With the rise of sweater-themed parties, guests young and old are rushing to top each other with the most frills, bows, and gauche decorations yet. Late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon has created a segment called “The 12 Days of Christmas Sweaters.” There is a parody of MTV’s teen documentary series entitled True Life: I Love Ugly Christmas Sweaters. How long until President Obama dons one to go along with his dad jeans? Outside of pop culture, the sweaters’ current popularity can also be linked to trends on the runway. Fair Isle knits have been popular this season, as well as tribal prints; both feature bold graphic patterns in the same vein as some of the holiday pullovers – those on the tamer side, at least. And the enthusiasm is not limited to U.S. borders. Christmas jumpers — that’s sweaters to non-Anglophiles — are simultaneously beloved and reviled in the U.K. as well. In an infamous scene from Bridget Jones’ Diary, Colin Firth wears a cringe-inducing Christmas sweater that his mother gave him to a holiday party, which puts a (slight) damper on the otherwise dashing character. Whether or not it constitutes a fashion faux pas, the ugly Christmas sweater rouses an undeniably warm and fuzzy feeling as it conjures up memories of home and childhood. It’s also quite cozy and practical in chilly winter weather. After all, holidays are often fraught with anxiety about the financial drain of gift-giving and the copious amounts of family interaction. What better way to de-stress than to throw on an obnoxious sweater and have a laugh?

Pumpkin Gingerbread Ingredients

3 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 2/3 cup water 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice cinnamon, and clove. In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.

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Christmas Candle Push Pops Ingredients

1 batch White Chocolate Mud Cake batter 12 push pop containers 5 Large candy canes 1 batch Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting 7 ounces white candy melts 12 white birthday candles Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour an 11 ½ x 15 ½ inch rimmed baking sheet. Line bottom with parchment paper. 2. Make the batter and spread into the baking sheet. Bake until the top of cake springs back when touched, 25 to 30 minutes. 3. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to the fridge for another 30 minutes until it’s just chilled. 4. Take an empty push pop container and use it as a guide to cut 36 rounds from the chilled cake using a sharp knife (save the scraps for making cake pop dough). 5. Place the candy canes in a zip-seal plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into small chunks. Make the frosting, folding in the crushed candy canes at the end. Transfer to a piping bag and cut off a ½ inch tip. 6. Place a round of cake into the base of each push pop container, followed by a swirl of frosting, then another cake round and another frosting swirl. Insert a third cake round, top with frosting, and use a knife to smooth and level the frosting to a flat top. 7. Melt the candy melts 8. Place 2 teaspoons of melted candy onto the top of the frosting and use the back of the spoon to gently push the melted candy over the side to create wax drips. Immediately insert a birthday candle into the top of each push pop. 6

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Pack light. Avoid checking bags altogether if you can. You won’t have to wait for your luggage on the conveyor belt, and you won’t have to worry about your mom’s Christmas present getting lost in Logan Airport. If you do check luggage, make sure you have all your medications and important documents and a change of clothes in your carry-on in case your luggage gets lost. Here’s a family packing list for more tips. Pack earplugs. Short of doing yoga in the airport, the best way to mentally escape your stressful surroundings is to turn the volume down. And the easiest way to do that is with earplugs. Crying baby next seat over on the plane? Earplugs. Sister’s music in the car driving you mad? Earplugs. And if you really want to check out for a bit? Bring an eye mask (as long as you aren’t driving).

TOP 10 SURVIVAL TIPS FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL Wherever you’re heading, if you’re traveling during the holiday season, you need to realize that everyone else in the world is, too. But don’t let invasive security scanners, terrible drivers and long lines at airports get you down. We’re giving you tips to survive the holiday travel season without a Frosty the Snowman-size meltdown. Do your research. Plan alternative trips if traffic makes your way home too overwhelming. Is there a scenic drive that might be longer but have less traffic? Break up a long drive by finding a few places to stop that will get the kids more excited than a truck rest stop. When flying, make sure you check the airline’s restrictions ahead of time on carry-on luggage and fees for checked bags.

Don’t get hangry. When your tummy growls, your mind can’t think straight, and you could unknowingly get in the wrong line, take the wrong turn, or worse, upset an innocent flight attendant. Pack snacks and drinks, so you and your family will be fueled up for a road trip. If you’re flying, definitely get some grub before you board the plane (check our GateGuru’s Best Airport Restaurants), so you won’t have to rely on airline food if you’re sitting on the tarmac for hours. Ship gifts or give gift cards. TSA suggests to ship wrapped gifts or wait until you reach your destination to wrap them, as they might have to unwrap a present to inspect it. Ship gifts ahead of time or bring the gift that can’t go wrong: gift cards to their favorite store or an Amazon card. Travel on off-peak days. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the biggest travel day of the year and can also cause you the biggest meltdown of the year. A better option is to leave early on Thanksgiving Day and avoid the record traffic the night before. Same goes with flying: if you fly on the actual holiday itself you’ll be avoiding the long lines and hoards of travelers. Flight statistics show that planes traveling earlier in the day

Stay connected. Stock up on the latest travel apps before you leave home. Flight Status gives you real-time updates on delays, baggage numbers and more, and GateGuru gives you approximate times you’ll spend in security. Heading out on the road? Find the cheapest gas and cleanest bathrooms on the road with GasBuddy and SitOrSquat. Pack snacks and drinks, so you and your family will be fueled up for a road trip. If you’re flying, definitely get some grub before you board the plane. H O L I D AY R E V I E W 2 0 1 6

have a better on-time performance. Best time to hit the road? When every one else is asleep -- early morning or late at night Have only a half hour before connecting to another flight? Traveling to Rochester, NY, during snow season? Think ahead Travel early or late in the day. Flight statistics show that and plan accordingly. Leave extra time before flights to deal planes traveling earlier in the day have a better on-time perfor- with security, extra time between connections and, for road mance. And if your flight is cancelled, you will have the option trips, pack tire chains for snowy conditions, flashlights, and of of taking a flight later in the day. Also, there will be fewer lines course, a few band-aids never hurt either. at security. Best time to hit the road? When every one else is asleep -- early morning or late at night. You can always take a Inhale. Exhale. The overly friendly person next to you on nap when you arrive at your destination or on the ride there (if the plane, the cancelled flights, the luggage that fell off in the you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the driver, of course). middle of the highway? All of it will make for great stories over Plan for the unexpected. dinner when you finally make it to your destination. After all, holiday travel stress is just as much of a tradition as pumpkin pie and refitting.

Fun Coloring for the Kids!

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How to make a Countdown Clock

Materials

2x4 sheet of plywood Masking tape Chalkboard paint Wood letters Spray paint Glue Directions 1) Mask off a square and rectangle using masking tape 2) Paint inside masked area with chalkboard paint 3) Spray paint letters desired color 4) Glue letters to plywood 5) Remove masking tape

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Holiday Cocktail Ideas

Pomegranate and Rosemary Gin Fizz

Ingredients: 2 oz. Noel’s Gin 1 oz. Pomegranate Juice .5 oz. Lemon Juice Club Soda Rosemary Sprigs & Pomegranate Arils, for garnish

Directions: Shake and Strain into a glass. Garnish with rosemary and pomegranate.

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Chai Toddy Ingredients: • 1 One part chai tea concentrate • One part whole milk • 1 star anise • 1 oz. cognac/brandy •1 oz. DeKuyper Buttershots liqueur or butterscotch schnapps •1/2 graham cracker, crushed and powdered •Add Checked Items To Grocery List Directions: Add all liquid ingredients to cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy cane.cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes; cover with lid, and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled (about 30 seconds). Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish, if desired.

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